Police: Former Danbury Officer Charged After Fatal Crash, More Charges to Follow

A former Danbury police officer turned himself in to Connecticut State Police Troop A in Southbury Friday for his role in a high-speed chase in December, which resulted in the fatality of 26-year-old Tiffany Fitzgerald.

Connecticut State Police say the officer, 39-year-old Jamie Hodge from Danbury, was off-duty working a downtown construction site, when he spotted a man who was wanted on several warrants. The man was allegedly driving a vehicle that was reported stolen and had been identified to Hodge in police briefings. According to police reports, the vehicle had no rear license plate, also that Hodge used his own vehicle in pursuit, and as the chase proceeded to Mountainville Road at high speeds, the driver of the stolen vehicle crashed it into a utility pole, rolling it many times. The passenger incurred life-threatening injuries, was taken to the hospital and later died.

Police state that the officer resigned from the department in March. After months of investigation, Jamie Hodge has been charged with reckless driving which is a class D misdemeanor, and is out on $2,500 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court August 22nd. The driver of the stolen car, Ricardo Andre, had three outstanding warrants at the time of the accident, and had failed to appear in court in the past. State police are planning additional charges against Ricardo Andre for his part in the accident.